book

Illustrator CC: Visual QuickStart Guide (2014 release)

by Elaine Weinmann, Peter Lourekas

September 2014

Intermediate to advanced

480 pages

22h 31m

English

Peachpit Press

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Launching IllustratorCreating a new documentUsing templatesAdding artboards to a documentDeleting artboardsModifying artboardsAligning and rearranging artboardsChoosing artboard optionsSaving a document in the Adobe Illustrator (.ai) formatEnding a work session
Introduction to color managementChoosing color settings for IllustratorSynchronizing the color settingsChanging the document profileProofing a document onscreen
The Hello screenFeatures of the Illustrator workspaceUsing tabbed document windowsArranging document windowsChanging the zoom levelMoving an area of a document into viewFitting an artboard in the document windowChanging the screen modeSwitching document viewsCreating custom viewsConfiguring the panel groups and docksChoosing, saving, managing, and resetting workspaces
The Illustrator panels that are used in this bookCreating custom tools panels
Opening files from IllustratorLaunching Adobe BridgeFeatures of the Bridge windowChoosing a workspace for BridgePreviewing graphics in BridgeOpening files from BridgeCustomizing the Bridge windowSaving custom workspacesResetting the Bridge workspaceUsing thumbnail stacksSearching for filesCreating and using collectionsRating and labeling thumbnailsFiltering the display of thumbnailsChoosing a sorting order for thumbnailsAssigning keywords to filesExporting the Bridge cacheManaging files via Bridge
Selecting and deleting objectsCreating rectangles and ellipsesReshaping a path using Live Corners and Live ShapesCreating polygonsCreating starsCreating line segmentsCreating spiralsCreating pixel-perfect artwork for the Web

A quick color primerDrawing with the Pencil toolDrawing with the Paintbrush toolChoosing options for the Pencil and Paintbrush toolsUsing the Blob Brush tool
The five selection toolsUsing the Selection toolUsing the Direct Selection toolSelecting objects via a commandSelecting objects via the Layers panelWorking with groupsIsolating individual objectsUsing the Lasso toolUsing the Magic Wand toolSaving selectionsSelecting and deselecting all objects
Moving objectsAligning objects with the help of Smart GuidesCopying objectsAligning and distributing objects via buttonsCreating ruler guidesCreating guides from objectsLocking and unlocking guidesClearing guidesUsing the grid
Using color in IllustratorColors for your output mediumUsing the basic color controlsSaving colors as swatchesChoosing colors via the Color panelApplying colors from a libraryChanging the tint percentageChanging the stroke weight, alignment, caps, and joinsCreating arrowsCreating a dashed strokeUsing the Eyedropper toolUsing the Swatches panelUsing the Color Guide panelUsing KulerReplacing colors in your artworkInverting colorsColorizing grayscale imagesBlending fill colorsCreating a patternEditing a pattern
Transforming an object via its bounding boxUsing the Free Transform toolUsing the Scale, Rotate, Shear, and Reflect toolsUsing the Transform and Control panelsUsing the Transform Each commandUsing the Transform effectRepeating a transformation
The building blocks of a pathMoving points and segmentsReshaping curvesConverting pointsAdding pointsDeleting pointsReshaping objects with the Pencil or Paintbrush toolReshaping segmentsApplying a variable width profile preset to an object’s strokeChanging an object’s stroke width using the Width toolReshaping objects with the Blob Brush toolEXERCISE: Draw and reshape objects in a freehand styleUsing the Reshape toolEXERCISE: Create a brush with the Reshape toolErasing sections of objectsAligning pointsJoining endpointsReshaping objects using commandsSlicing and dicingEXERCISE: Draw a glass of beer (or cream soda!)
Getting to know the Layers panelCreating layersDeleting layers and objectsSelecting listings on the Layers panelSelecting objects via the Layers panelRestacking layers and objectsDuplicating layers and objectsLocking layers and objectsHiding layers and objectsCollecting objects into a new layerReleasing objects to layersMerging layers and groupsFlattening layers
Applying appearance attributesEditing appearance attributesHiding and deleting appearance attributesCopying appearance attributesExpanding appearance attributes
Applying Illustrator effectsEditing, duplicating, and deleting effectsA few Illustrator effects up closeRasterizing objectsApplying Photoshop effects via the Effect Gallery
Graphic styles basicsLoading graphic styles from a libraryApplying graphic stylesRemoving a graphic style from an objectApplying multiple graphic styles to an objectCreating graphic stylesRedefining graphic stylesDeleting graphic styles from the panelCreating a custom graphic styles libraryBreaking the link to a graphic style
Tracing a raster image using a presetApplying custom tracing settingsExpanding a tracing into paths
Creating a Live Paint groupUsing the Live Paint Bucket toolUsing the Live Paint Selection toolReshaping a Live Paint groupAdding new faces and edges to a Live Paint groupChoosing gap options for a Live Paint groupExpanding and releasing Live Paint groups
The type toolsChoosing a font and font size for a type toolCreating point typeCreating area typeCreating path typeCopying or moving type charactersImporting text into IllustratorThreading type objectsConverting point type to area type, and vice versaRotating typeEXERCISE: Putting type on a circle
Selecting typeChanging the font family and styleWorking with Typekit fontsChanging the font sizeChanging the leading valueApplying kerning and trackingUsing smart punctuationInserting alternate glyphsApplying hyphenationChanging paragraph alignmentChanging paragraph indentationChanging inter-paragraph spacingUsing paragraph and character stylesUsing the Touch Type toolHanging punctuationSetting tabsChanging the baseline shift valueCreating type outlinesWrapping type around an objectEXERCISE: Create a shadow for point typeApplying appearance attributes to typeEXERCISE: Add multiple strokes to a characterEXERCISE: Use the Free Distort effect on typeDealing with missing fontsDealing with missing Typekit fonts
Drawing with the Pen toolConverting anchor points on pathsEXERCISE: Draw a knife with the Pen tool
How images are acquired in IllustratorUsing the Open commandUsing the Place commandImporting Photoshop images into IllustratorManaging linked imagesEmbedding and unembedding imagesDragging and dropping images into Illustrator
Applying brushes to existing pathsUsing the Brushes panelRemoving brush strokes from objectsExpanding brush strokesCreating and editing Calligraphic brushesCreating and editing Scatter brushesCreating and editing Art brushesCreating and editing Bristle brushesCreating and editing Pattern brushesPainting brush strokes inside objectsDuplicating brushesEditing a brush manuallyEditing brush strokes on objectsDeleting brushesCreating a custom brush library
Applying a gradient to an object’s fill or strokeCreating a two-color gradientEditing gradient colors via on-object controlsSaving a gradient as a swatchChanging the position, length, or angle of a gradient in an objectSpreading a single gradient across multiple objectsExpanding a gradient into paths
Using the Shape Builder toolApplying the Shape Mode commandsApplying the Pathfinder commandsUsing the Compound Path commandWorking with compound pathsApplying Pathfinder effects
Creating a clipping setSelecting objects in a clipping setAdding objects to, and deleting them from, a clipping setReleasing a clipping set
Changing an object’s opacity or blending modeControlling which objects the transparency settings affectCreating an opacity maskEditing masked artwork or the masking object in an opacity mask
Accessing the symbol librariesCreating individual symbol instancesCreating symbol sets with the Symbol Sprayer toolReplacing symbols in a documentCreating symbolsDeleting symbols from the panelCreating a custom symbol libraryEditing symbolsChoosing options for the symbolism toolsUsing the Symbol Shifter, Scruncher, Sizer, Spinner, Stainer, Screener, and Styler toolsUnlinking symbol instancesExpanding symbol instances
Creating color groups via the Recolor Artwork dialogUsing the color wheel in the Recolor Artwork dialogAssigning colors to artwork via the Recolor Artwork dialogReducing colors via the Recolor Artwork dialog
Opening the Preferences dialogGeneral PreferencesSync Settings PreferencesSelection & Anchor Display PreferencesType PreferencesUnits PreferencesGuides & Grid PreferencesSmart Guides PreferencesSlices PreferencesHyphenation PreferencesPlug-ins & Scratch Disks PreferencesUser Interface PreferencesFile Handling & Clipboard PreferencesAppearance of Black Preferences
Print dialog: General optionsMarks and Bleed optionsOutput optionsGraphics optionsColor Management optionsAdvanced optionsSummary optionsUsing the Separations Preview panelPrinting and exporting semitransparent objectsCreating and editing presetsProducing crop and trim marksChoosing a resolution for effectsPackaging files for outputChoosing a file format for exportSaving files in the Adobe PDF formatUsing the Export commandUsing the Document Info panelOptimizing files for the WebExporting artwork as CSS codeExporting Illustrator files to Adobe Photoshop
Syncing Illustrator settings via Creative CloudImporting and exporting Illustrator settingsManaging files via Creative CloudSharing your artwork on Behance

Content preview from Illustrator CC: Visual QuickStart Guide (2014 release)

21. Pen Tools

In This Chapter

Drawing with the Pen tool

Converting anchor points on paths

EXERCISE: Draw a knife with the Pen tool

Mastering the Pen tool — Illustrator’s most difficult tool — takes patience and practice. If you get accustomed to using it, refer to Chapter 12 to learn how to reshape the resulting paths. If you try using this tool but find it to be too difficult, remember that you can create shapes using other methods. For example, you can draw simple geometric shapes (Chapter 6) and then combine them (Chapter 25), or draw in a freehand style with the Blob Brush or Pencil tool (Chapter 7).